Rug cleaning machine



United States Patent O RUG CLEANING MACHINE Clarence A. Ketchum,Cincinnati, Ohio, and William D. Kemp, Irondequoit, N. Y., assignor toThe American Laundry Machinery Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a cor porationof Ohio Application September 1, 1954, Serial No. 453,556

S Claims. (Cl. 68-38) This invention relates to improvements in a rugcleaning machine and more particularly in a machine adapted to scrub andrinse rugs of varying thickness. j

One of the objects of the present invention is to pro vide a rotatablefeed roll for feeding a rug through the machine, together with otherdevices acting upon a rug carried by the feed roll, and common mountingmeans supporting the feed roll and the other devices, this mountingmeans being adjustable on the frame so that as the feed roll and devicesare adjusted for rugs of varying thickness, their operative relationshipwith the rug does not vary substantially.

Another object of the present invention is to provide in a rug cleaningmachine `of the type described, brush means mounted on the frame of themachine adjacent the feed roll in a position to brush a rug onrthe roll,and means mounting the roll on the frame for movement toward and awayfrom the brush means generally in a direction along a radius of theroll.

A. further object of the invention is the provision of means forcleansing the back side of the rug, such as a cylindrical brushrotatably mounted on an axis substantially parallel to and below theaxis of the feed roll, with the periphery of this brush extendinglaterally outside of a vertical plane tangent to the feed roll so thatthis rotatable brush is adapted to strip a rug from the feed roll andfeed it to a discharge conveyor.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a drag rollspaced from the feed roll and resiliently urged to hold the rug betweenthe drag roll and the feed roll at a point near the zone where the rugleaves the feed roll so as to support the latter end portion of the rugafter the trailing edge is free of the cleansing brushes to therebyprevent the end section of the rug from dropping down in a folded mass.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of conveyormeans for carrying a cleaned rug away from the machine, this conveyormeans having an upper run beginning at a point below and to the rear ofthe feed roll and moving therefrom rearwardly, together with spray meansengaging that side of a rug toward the feed roll at a point above theupper run of the conveyor and adapted to push the leading edge of a rugin the ydirection of travel of the upper run of the conveyor means sothat a rug coming oit' the feed roll is smoothly started up theconveyor.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in a rug cleaningmachine, a rotatable feed roll for feeding a rug through the machine,means for scrubbing a rug on the feed roll and spaced from the roll byapproximately the thickness of a rug, together with power means formoving the feed roll toward and away from the scrubbing means to adjustthe machine for rugs of varying thickness. Preferably, this power meansis controlled by a device readily accessible to the operator so that themachine may be adjusted for the thickness of the rug while the machineis operating. 4, j j A l V i r2,787,151 Patented Apr. 2, 1957 Otherobjects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from theaccompanying drawings and description and the essential features will beset forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a central sectional view taken through the machineintermediate the two parallel end frames thereof and looking toward oneof the end frames;

Fig. 2 is a fragmental end elevational view taken below the plane of thepaper of Fig. l from beyond the end frame of the machine and lookingtoward the end frame;

Fig. 3 is a fragmental front elevational view taken from the position ofthe line 3--3 of Fig. l; while Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic Wiring diagramillustrating the control of the motor which adjusts the device for rugsof varying thickness.

Referring to Fig. l, the path of the rug 10 through the machine isgenerally from right to left over the auxiliary feed roll 11, then overthe main feed roll 12 in contact with the scrubbing means 13, thenbeneath a drag roll 14, over a back scrubbing brush 15 onto the upperrun 16a of a conveyor means 15 which acts as a delivery conveyor whenthe scrubbing machine is used alone, or delivers the rug to wringerrolls when such a unit is joined to the one here shown.

As more fully described in our copendiug application Serial No. 453,878,tiled September 2, 1954, the rug is pre-wetted by spray 17, soaped byspray 18, then, after being scrubbed by the brush means i3, is given aiirst toprinse by spray i9, passes under the drag roll 14, the reverseside is then soaped by spray 2@ and scrubbed by the revolving brush 1.5against a backing plate 21, then back rinsed by spray 22, after whichthe rug passes up the conveyor means lo and receives a nal top rinsefrom another spray not here shown.

It will be understood by those familiar with this art that the mainframe of the machine comprises two end frames 23 parallel to each otherand spaced apart by a distance greater than the width of the rug to beoperated upon. Directly inside of each of the end frames 23, there isfound a curved lever arm 24 pivote-d to its associated end frame at 25.These two lever arms 24 comprise a commonmounting means supporting themain feed roll 12 and certain other devices which operate on the rugsuch as the drag roll 14, the rotatable back scrubbing brush 15 and thebacking plate 2l.u At each end a central shaft 12a of feed roll 12 has agudgeon journaled in a bearing 26 suitably mounted at the free end ofone of the lever arms 24. Ou the inside of each .lever arm 24, and closeto the lever arm, is mounted an L shape arm 27 having a pivotal mountingat 2S on its associated arm 24. The drag roll 14 is rotatably mounted inthese two arms 27, the 4drag roll being slightly shorter than thedistance from the inner face of one arm 24 to the other arm 24. The dragroll 14 is spring pressed toward the feed roll 12 by means of a spring29 which embraces a rod 3i) pivotally connected at 31 with cach of thearms 27, the spring 29 being compressed between nuts 32 threaded on rod30 and a bracket 33 which is rigidly fixed to another bracket 34 whichin turn is rigidly attached to the end arm 24.

The back brushing roll 15 has two end bearings 15a, each of which isjournaled in a lever 35 which has one end pivotally mounted at 28 on itsassociated end arm 24, and the free end of this lever has a clevisconnection 36 with an adjustable block 37 which is threadedly mounted ona link 38 which is pivotally connected at 39 in a hollow portion insideof arm 24. The block 37 -is adjustably held by means of nuts 40. Thebrush 15 is of a length slightly less than the distance between theinner faces of the two arms 24.

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3 The backing plate 21 extends for the full length of the brushand""is"`supported on a hollow bar 41`Which in turn is fixed to two endarmsfi each of which is secured top olne .ofI` the brackets. 34previously mentioned, in such a position as to just clear the inner face.ofvtlhel..endlever arm 27. The b ackingpla'tel Iis preferably made ofsheet metal or the like formed asA indicated in section irrFig. l andwith its face toward the rug partially. bent to conformto the positionof the rug as it passesover the rotating brush i5. The backing plate isresiliently urged toward the rotating brush 15 by means of a bracket 43rigidly attached to the backing plate and having a clevs connection atpivot point 44 with a rod 45 which extends upwardly passing freelythrough an opening 46am a bracket 46 connected to the frame of themachine. A long helical spring/i7 surrounds the rod 45V and is heldbetweennuts 43 at the lower vend of the rod and bracket 46 at the upperend of thetrod. Nuts 49 on the end of the rod limit its downwardmovement under the urging ofspring 47. Although Ithe rod is exterior totheparts carried by the lever arms 24,*the small movement of the feedroll assembly in adjusting for rug thicknessY will have a very slighteffectV on the location of the backing plate 2ll in relation to thebrushing roll 15. VvThe relation of the centers'is such that any changeVwould be in the direction of increasing the pressure very slightly onthicker rugs.

rfhe means for adjusting the feed roll 12 for the desired scrubbingpressure on rugs of different' thickness comprises two screw jacks Silmounted, one on each side frame 23, just inside of each frame 23 andconnected to the outer end of each lever arm Zdby means of link 51. Thescrew shaft of each jack is indicated `at 52 and passes through ahousing lhaving top and bottom guide bore portions 53 and 54respectively. The screw shaft 52 is threaded axially through worm gear55 which seats on a thrust bearing 56 and coacts with a worm 57. Theworm shafts 57a at the `two ends of the machine are coupled across themachine by a hollow shaft 58, so that both worm gears are rotated inunison. 57a extending through the end frame 23 to the outside of thisend frame. This is clearly shown in Fig. 2. At lthat point, gear 59secured to shaft 57a is `driven by a pinion. 6i? on a reversible motor61. This motor 6l is controlled by a reversing switch 62 shown in Fig.3, and diagranunatically in Fig. 4. The switch 62 is mounted on an endbracket 63 by means of a plate 64. The bracket 63 supports the soap andwater header pipes 65 and 66. Switch 62 is of a known commercial camtype operated switch, diagrammatically shown in Fig. 4. contacts aremoved from an open position to either forward or reverse circuit closingposition by rotation of shaft v7. T his shaft is journaled in brackets68 clamped to pipe 65, and may extend across all or part of the front ofthe machine, providing ya convenient means foran operator to control theadjustment of thefeed rollposition while he is engaged in operation ofthe machine. The circuits for the control of motor 6i are conventional,being vhere shown with circuit, say forward, completed through the lowerset of contacts 69m Fig. 4 from line Li to motor terminal Tl., L2 to T2,and L3 to T3. When the controller is moved around to open position tocarry the cams 5.7LY into engagement with the upper contacts 7@ of Fig.4, the circuit, say backward, is completed through the upper set ofcontacts from Li to T2, L2 to Tl., ari-:lf3 to T3, the connections withelectrical lines Li and L12 being reversed to cause reverse rotationV ofthe motor it will be noted in Fig. l that the dot-dash line A connectingthe axis of feed roll l2 and the axis of pivot Z5 is substantially atright angles to the dot-dash line'B which extends centrally of thebrushing means 13` and through the agi feed roll 12.` In other words,the movement of feed roll i2 is more, or' less pf-itself toward and awayfrom the brushing means 13-to adjust One jack has its shaft for varyingthicknesses of rug. Since this adjustment of feed rollll'Z isv veryslight inthe usual range of positions from 4thin to thick rugs, thecontact and pressure of the brushes on the rug is uniform andsubstantially radial, giving an even scrubbing action and increasing theuseful life of the brushes.

While the present invention will cooperate with a wide range ofscrubbing means l, it is herey shown for use with two parallel rows ofscrubbing brushes similar to the brushesf described yin United StatesPatentNo. 2,334,592, yrented December 8, 1942, to Robert C. Pauly. Thesebrushes are mounted on parallel arms 71 extending entirely across themachine like the `arms 13 of the abovementioned Paulyvpatnt'f'Thesearmstogether with .the brushes mountedthereonalre reciprocated crosswiseof the rug as it lies Yon"the"f`ed r0ll"12 by means similar to the rodZ3 and crankshaft 24 of the above-mentioned Pauly patent. F lhe-scrubbing means is supportedrby a tubular erossfrnei'ri ber72fwhich` issecured to the frameV ofthe machine.

The feed roll 1 2 and the brushing roll 15 are rotated by a conventionalchain drive', not shown, but of a type permitting` the :adjustment lofarms 24 above described without interferingV withthe driving action.

.A chain di'ivefisiindicfated at' 73 between a sprocket 74 rotatable,withthe shaft of feed roll 12 and a sprocket 75 rotatablewi't'li thelshaft of brushing roll i5. This causes thesetworollsto rotatecounterclockwise as viewed in Fig. l ivith'the brush'lS Vrotating fasterthan the feed roll. lt willbe noted that fthe generally cylindricalbrush 15 isrotatablyA mounted f'on'a'n axis substantially parallel toand belowtheixiscf the l'feed roll 12, with the periphery of thebushiiSeXtending laterally outside of a vertical plane tangent to thefeed roll 12. it results from this "c` yruitior`ti1`at thebrush 1S actsas a stripper to disengage the'fron't' edgey ofa rug from the surfaceofthe tine studded feed roll, so as 4to carry it around to the backingplteZ'l. It will be notedthat the spray 20 acts on 'the leading edge ofarug to aid in moving it away fromthe feedproll 'intoproper positionlying on the brush IS-a'sfclearlyyvis'ible in Fig. l.

Theconveyor means 16 is preferably made up of a number ofi separate,comparatively ynarrow belts spaced across the entirewidth of the rug,each belt beingprovided with cleats 16h -to aid in gripping the rug.'The upper run 16a of the conveyor means preferably traveis at a speedslightly greater than the peripheral speed of the feed roll 12 VThisassures a positive pick-up of the leading edge ofthe rug and also pullsslightly on the rug Ito smooth it. vThe back. rinse spray 2'2 isdirected in such a way-esto push the leading edg ofthe rug along theupper run of the conveyor@ meansfas the edge of the rug clears thebacking plate 21.

` The drag"roll`-14 isnotdrivenA but acts to support the end portion.offtherug after the trailing edge leaves the brushing. means l'l-irso.asto prevent this end section from dropping` down into a', .folded imass onto the brushing roll'lS.` VA

The..operationvof..r themachine should now be appar ent.lA'rugisfplaced' .byfhandover the auxiliary feed roll 11v and moveduntil its forward edge comes into contactwith the tiues. of the mainfeed roll 1.2. This roll is `driveninthe usual manner `and carries therug past the wetting spray 17, and the Soaping spray 18 and beneaththevscrubbing means 13. it is then subjected totl`1e.,t.op. rinsespray12 and passes over the drag roll 1.4. ,Asl the.Y leading .edge clearsthedrag roll, the back i's.-.soa15.ed-by-.thelsprayand the edgel is carriedover "the brushing.4 roll 15 into engagement with the backing plate 21.xThe,periphery of brush 15 moves at a speed greaterxthan `the linealspeed of movement of the rug 1.0 so yas to. scrubthe back ofthe rugagainst the spring pressedplate 21. `As. the leading edge clears thisplate, it-eissback rinsedeby the`spray .22 and fed. onto the conveyormeans 16 to be carried away.

The operator may grasp the knurled grip 67b on the rod 67 at the frontof the machine to adjust the feed roll 12 toward or away from thebrushing means 13 by means of motor 16 and screw jack-s 50 while lthemachine is operating. This adjustment for varying thickness of rugcarries with it the drag roll 14, the brushing roll l' and the backingplate 21 so that the relative position of these parts remainssubstantially the same for every thickness of rug.

What we claim is:

1. In a rug cleaning machine, a frame, a feed roll rotatably mounted insaid frame, means on said frame for cleaning a rug, endless beltconveyor means for carrying a cleaned rug away from said machine, saidconveyor means having a lower run and having an upper run beginning `ata point below and to the rear of said feed roll and moving toward therear, and spray means below a. horizontal diameter of said feed roll andforward of a vertical plane tangent to the rear side of said feed rollfor engaging that side of a rug toward said feed roll at ya point abovesaid upper run `and adapted to push the leading edge of a rug in thedirection 'of travel of said upper run of said conveyor means.

2. lIn a rug cleaning machine, a frame, `a rotatable feed roll forfeeding a rug through the machine, means for scurbbing a rug on -saidroll and normally spaced away from said roll by approximately thethickness of a rug, power means including a reversible motor for movingsaid feed roll toward and away from said scrubbing means, and controlmeans for said power means including a reversible switch and va controlmember therefor extending across the rug-feeding side of said machineand above said feed roll.

3. In la rug cleaning machine, a frame, rug cleaning means mounted onsaid frame, a rotatable feed roll for feeding a rug through the machinepast said cleaning means, a generally cylindrical brush rotatablymounted on an axis substantially parallel to said feed roll andpositioned to act upon a rug carried by said feed roll, common mountingmeans supporting said roll and said brush, and said mounting meanshaving an adjustable connection with said frame.

4. In a rug cleaning machine, a frame, rug cleaning means mounted onsaid frame, a rotatable feed roll for feeding a rug through the machinepast said cleaning means, a generally cylindrical brush rotatablymounted on an Iaxis substantially parallel to and below the axis of saidfeed roll, the periphery lof said brush extending laterally outside of avertical plane tangent to said feed roll, whereby said brush is adaptedto strip a rug from said feed roll, common mounting means supportingsaid roll and said brush, and said mounting means having an adjustableconnection with said frame.

5. The combination of claim 4 including `a backing plate carried by saidmounting means and positioned to lie on the opposite side of, and inengagement with, a rug passing over said brush.

6. vIn a rug cleaning machine, a frame, rug cleaning means mounted onsaid frame, a rotatable feed roll for feeding a rug through the machinepast `said cleaning means, 'a drag roll positioned to frictionallyengage that face of a rug on said feed roll opposite the face inengagement with said roll, common mounting means supporting said feedroll and said drag roll, Iand said mounting means having an adjustableconnection with said frame.

7. In a rug cleaning machine, a frame, a rotatable feed roll for feedinga rug through the machine, brush means mounted on said frame adjacentsaid feed roll in position to brush a rug on said roll, means mountingsaid roll on said frame for movement toward and away from said brushmeans generally in a direction along a radius of said roll, saidmounting means comprising lever means on which said feed roll isrotatably mounted on an axle of rotation, said lever means beingpivotally mounted on said frame on Ian axis, and said brush meanspositioned rapproximately on a line at right angles to a line connectingsaid axes.

8. The combination of claim 7 including power actuated means supportedon said frame and operatively connected with said lever means for movingsaid feed roll toward and away from said brush means.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,063,062 Sparklin Dec. 8, 1936 2,278,944 Quigley Apr. 7, 1942 2,304,592Pauly Dec. 8, 1942 2,657,045 Wilson Oct. 27, 1953

